Faculty keyboardist to perform as guest artist at Winter Park Bach Festival

Faculty keyboardist Joanne Kong will perform as a guest artist at the Winter Park Bach Festival in Winter Park, Fla., from Feb. 27 through March 4.

The annual festival, hailed by critics as one of the top festivals devoted to performances of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, features artists from around the county, including special events with renowned Bach scholar Christoph Wolff. Kong will perform as harpsichordist of the festival orchestra, will be featured in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, will perform in the St. Matthew Passion conducted by Wolff and will present a lecture-performance of Bach's Three Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord, with gamba player Lisa Terry.

A recognized specialist in the music of J. S. Bach, Kong has performed with the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oregon Bach Festivals, Abbey Bach Festival, Bach Aria Institute, Houston Harpsichord Society Recital Series and Texas Bach Collegium. Kong's performances have been noted for “utmost keyboard sensitivity and variety of tone” (Richmond Times-Dispatch), “remarkable technical ability” (The Oregonian), and “superb artistry” (San Antonio Express-News).

Kong is currently the director of the accompanying and chamber music programs at the University of Richmond.